


Prom Queen

by prettysky



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Established SuperCorp, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I don't know a single thing about the education system in the United States, Sanvers Week 2018, So yeah, alex gonna wear a tux cus i'm weak but you'll thank me later, betting and lying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 10:06:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13656768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettysky/pseuds/prettysky
Summary: Alex had never noticed her.Well, she saw her, of course, in the hallways, and sometimes in class, but she didn’t really notice her.Until that day.You could say it was Lena's fault, or Lucy’s, but Alex knew deep inside that it was all her own fault. She agreed to the whole thing in the first place.\But to understand everything, we should go back a bit.\\\Or, the one where Alex Danvers thought she'd never change, but then she met Maggie Sawyer.





	Prom Queen

**Author's Note:**

> I'm here, and I have a new pile of fresh young romance for ya
> 
> this fic is based on this [ SNL scatch ](https://youtu.be/GFqHiMkVvxo), which I saw like five months ago, wrote one sentence, and left to rot for another two months.  
> then there was the sanversweek, high school au, yadda yadda yadda, and here we are  
> I changed the original story a little bit, but the basic is more or less the same.
> 
> I would like to say to my new audience (I have an audience? oh boi) that English is not my first language and also, I do all the beta read and editing myself. so, I'm pretty insecure about my writing. I hope everything is clear and understood.
> 
> I guess that's it. have fun!

Alex had never noticed her.

Well, she saw her, of course, in the hallways, and sometimes in class, but she didn’t really notice her.

Until that day.

You could say it was Lena's fault, or Lucy’s, but Alex knew deep inside that it was all her own fault. She agreed to the whole thing in the first place.

 

But to understand everything, we should go back a bit.

\

Alex Danvers was the most popular, smart, and probably the most beautiful girl in the entire school. Well, not really the most of everything because Lena would say that Kara is the most beautiful, and for the smartness, there's a chance that Winn will overshadow her, and popularity... well, it depends on where you hang out. But either way, Alex Danvers wasn’t lacking friends, or talent, or looks. She attended classes like everyone else, ate in the cafeteria with her friends and played in the school's official soccer team, as the captain of the group, along with her sister, Kara, and her best friend Lucy. 

Life, all in all, was good.

In the dating area, on the other hand, there was little to talk about. Openly gay, she knew that many girls liked her. But she didn’t officially go out with anyone. She was best known as one night stands girl, never committed to anyone. No one had ever asked her, and she wouldn’t admit it aloud to anyone (maybe except Kara) that she simply didn’t want to enter into a relationship. For her, falling in love was a big black hole she wasn’t interested in entering. Love brings with it is heartbreak, anger, disappointment, you name it. She tried it once and came out bruised from the other side. Now it was known to all that she was sleeping with girls for sexual satisfaction, and she never tried to deny that she wasn’t interested in a girlfriend. She didn’t do it out of a will to hurt anyone's feelings or to 'score' as they say, but, just for herself. Everyone knew that. 

And Alex had no intention of changing.

They were sitting in the cafeteria at the time, Kara with her feet on Lana's knees and the two of them talking excitedly, James busy completing his homework with Winn's help, and Alex ate her potato tots as she typed on her phone. Lucy appeared, carrying a tray, and sat down beside Alex with a sigh.

"If Miss Grant could have given more homework, she would have. it’s a literal nightmare." Lucy grumbled, taking a forkful of salad into her mouth.

"I thought you liked Miss Grant," said Alex, a bit confused. Principal Grant was known for being very tough and strict with her students. Still, Lucy often said she inspired her.

"One day she gives a fiery speech about feminism in the new age and the power of women in the industry and I’m ready to vote for her for presidency, and the next day she lets us read fifty pages and summarize them in a ten-page essay, in handwriting." Lucy took a sip from her water bottle. "My head is exploding just to think about this essay."

Alex patted her back with encouragement. "Cheer up, we have a workout this afternoon. I'm going to tear your asses off,"

Lucy glanced at her. "You’re the devil."

"You love me."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of Kara's laughter, high and ringing.

"What are they talking about?"

"The Prom."

Lucy frowned. "Oh, that,"

"You've decided who you're going with?"

Lucy stole a glance at James, who sat a few seats beside her. Alex swallowed a smile as Lucy shrugged. "There’s still time."

There was a silence for a moment.

"What about you?"

"There's still time," Alex returned, smiling.

"Yeah, but still." Lucy tilted her head with interest.

Alex shrugged and opened her can of soda. "You could say it doesn’t matter who I'm taking, she'll probably be the prom queen," said Alex, quirking a brow toward Lucy.

Yes, and of course, there was this. Alex Danvers won the title of the prom queen in every prom she ever went to. No one knew why, or how, it just happened. Alex didn’t mind, and she continued to win year after year, choosing to take random girls with her and win the title time after time. She was pretty sure she would win this year too, but she didn’t know yet who she wanted to take. Either way, it didn’t really matter to her.

Kara laughed again across the table, and they turned to look at Kara and Lena, who were looking at them with amusement.

"What?" Alex wore an innocent look.

"Not this again," Lena rolled her eyes. "Do you really think it doesn’t matter who you take to the prom, she will be the prom queen, just because she's going with you?" She teased.

"Wanna bet?"

Kara swallowed a smile, aware of her sister's uncontrollable need to bet on anything that moved.

Lena and Alex studied each other, staring.

"Don’t you think it doesn’t matter who Alex will take to the prom, she will be the queen?" Lucy said, backing Alex as always.

"I don’t think so..." Lena said, twisting her nose. "I mean, Alex is indeed popular and beautiful, but it's not possible that every girl she takes to the prom will automatically be the queen, just because of her." She shrugged and leaned back. "People get fed up with seeing the same pretty face win every year, it gets boring."

"Okay, so let's bet," Lucy insisted. "I choose a girl, any girl, and if Alex takes her to the prom and makes her a prom queen, you pay her two hundred dollars, and if she doesn't, she pays you. What do you say?"

Lena raised an eyebrow and nodded in agreement, and all eyes were on Alex (those of James Winn too, who listened curiously to the conversation) to see what her reaction would be. Alex thought about the idea. On the one hand, she takes a random stranger to the prom, which she won’t choose herself. On the other hand, she won’t have to worry about who to invite, Lucy will do it for her, and she won’t go alone. Besides, she'd win the title of prom queen if they were right. She shrugged. "Okay."

"Deal." Lucy's eyes glowed with enthusiasm. "I'll pick a random girl, and you'll take her to the prom and we’ll see if you make her the prom queen.”

A fear crept into Alex's heart, that perhaps when she agreed to this bet she made some mistake or trouble she would regret, but Lucy was already looking around the cafeteria hall, searching for a victim. "Be careful, Luce," Alex said. "Don’t make me sorry."

"Don’t worry," Lucy waved her hand dismissively.

She chose several people, offered them to Alex, who rejected them with dismissive excuses one by one. 'She's too beautiful, she'll win the prom queen anyway,' 'She's too young, it feels wrong,' 'She’s not even gay!' And of course, the used-up excuse, 'I was with her once, I don’t think it's a good idea.'

"God, Alex, with how many girls from the school did you hook up with?" Kara asked, astonished.

Alex shrugged and smiled lightly. "Maybe a little too much."

The bell rang, and they found that they had stayed in the cafeteria for too long. They hurried out of the hall, Lucy and Alex walking shoulder to shoulder toward the next class, sitting in the back seats as usual.

The algebra teacher spoke in a monotonous, squeaky tone, and Alex's mind soon shifted to other places, and she and Lucy began to chat.

"Okay, what about this one?"

Lucy pointed to a dark-haired student in the front row, close to the wall. She listened to every word that came out of the teacher's mouth, and wrote it down in a small notebook, in clean, neat handwriting.

"This?" For the first time, Alex had no excuse. She hardly knew the girl, let alone know what her name was, or anything about her. In fact, she was exactly what they were looking for.

"I ... I don’t even know her," Alex tried to get away.

"No, not again, I'm not ready, this is your girl and that's all." Lucy shook her head. "It's not a wedding, Alex, it's just the prom."

Alex thought again, looking at the back of the girl’s neck which was hidden behind her flowing hair, that moved as she tilted her head right and left, and Alex couldn’t stop herself from wondering how it would be to run her fingers through the girl's hair.

“So it’s a deal? You're taking her to the prom and she'll be the prom queen." Lucy sounded happy, too happy, and Alex wondered why. She exhaled with forced consent.

"I don’t know anything about her, what if she's not even gay?"

"Oh, she’s gay alright, trust me. No one who wears a leather jacket like that is attracted to men in any sense of the word," Lucy grinned. "I think her name is Maggie. go to her after class and ask for help with homework,"

"I know this stuff by heart, Lane.” 

"So what, ask her anyway, you have to find a way to talk to her, don’t you? you might as well-”

"Miss Lane, do you have something to share with the class?"

Lucy fell silent as twenty-three pair of eyes fixed on her and Alex, and she leaned back to the seat.

"Nothing."

"Very well," the teacher said, and came back, more crisply than ever, to explain the material.

"Fine, shut up," Alex murmured to her, looking back at Maggie.

But Maggie was looking back at her now.

Alex's initial impulse was to look away, but something in her told her she shouldn’t, and she kept looking back at Maggie, who was studying her and Lucy curiously. Alex tried the tactic of looking down for a second and looking up again, and she saw Maggie smiles a mischievous smile, then looking back at the board, continuing to write in her notebook.

A thought came to Alex’s mind, that if she didn’t have to hit on this girl, she might have done it anyway.

\

“Hey, you're Maggie, right?"

Maggie looked up slowly from her things, which were scattered on the table and she was in the middle of collecting into her backpack. She looked at Alex without saying a word, her head tilted a little sideways, her gaze intrigued.

"I'm Alex, Alex Danvers," Alex said, smiling slightly. "Although you probably already knew that... or not, never mind," she said quickly, and Maggie had a faint smile as she continued to arrange her things.

Alex ordered herself to stop stuttering and be as charming as ever. She managed to knock dozens of girls at her feet with a smirk, the right words, and the expression that moves between 'I think you're attractive' and 'I'm too cool for you' and almost always got the same results. But before this girl... Something didn’t quite work. She coughed and tried again.

"Yeah, so, anyway, I saw that you were really listening in class and everything, you must know this stuff really well. So, there’s a chance that... maybe... will you help me? I'm really lost in the material," her captivating smile returned to her lips and she felt in the game again, until Maggie's expression caught her off guard. She had never encountered such an expression: amused, yet intrigued. Most of the girls would blink their eyes with temptation or embarrassment, and sometimes they would freeze, trying to understand how Alex Danvers was talking to them, on her own initiative. And with Maggie... it didn’t exactly catch. She gave her a nice, but not too giddy smile. I'll have to work harder if I want to invite her to the prom eventually, she thought.

"Alex Danvers," Maggie said the first words Alex heard from her mouth, her eyes still amused and her backpack already on her back, all her things inside.

"In the flash," Alex gave her a broad smile.

"So, there's a problem with the material, huh? Okay." Maggie seemed to be thinking. "Do you want to study together?"

"Yeah, why not."

There was silence for a few seconds and then - "Maybe we'll study in my house, today after school?"

Maggie pursed her lips. "I guess it's alright," she said finally, and Alex smiled with relief.

"Great, because I'll really need your help if I want to pass the test in a few weeks."

Maggie nodded to her, beginning to walk slowly toward the exit.

"So it’s set up, in my house after school," Alex said. Maggie nodded again, and went out of class, glancing briefly at Alex before leaving her standing alone in an empty classroom, realizing only after a few minutes she had forgotten to give Maggie her address.

\\\

"Wait until Mom hears about it,"

"Mom won't hear about it because I'll do your chores at home for two weeks."

"Two weeks is so little time...."

"Three weeks?"

"Try to aim higher."

"Kara!"

Kara burst out laughing and gave Alex a blow to the shoulder. "I’m just messing with you," she said, ruffles Alex's hair. Alex exhaled with relief, taking Kara's hands off her head.

"When did you tell her to come over?"

"Six-thirty."

"So Mom wouldn’t be home, huh?" Kara gave another blow to Alex's shoulder.

"No! I mean, maybe. Yes."

"Why don’t you just tell Mom?"

Alex sighed and raised her hands in frustration as she spoke. "She’ll start asking me questions I still don’t know the answer to, and I'm not ready yet."

"Alex, you know you're not really supposed to go out with Maggie, right? it’s just a bet.”

"Right, just a bet."

Kara stopped in mid-walking and grabbed her sister's shoulders, looking at her seriously. "Alex, you're my sister, and I love you, but if you hurt some unfortunate girl for two hundred dollars, I will punch you in the face."

"What, no, of course not!" Alex said, freeing herself from Kara's grasp. "Don’t worry, everything is under control."

"Really?"

"Really."

\

As expected, everything was not under control.

The doorbell rang at six-thirty, and Alex rushed to the door, closing her eyes for a second and breathing deeply, then opening with a wide smile. "Hey!"

"Hello," Maggie said, the thin line of her mouth rising slightly up in a faint smile and she waved her hand in the air in greeting. Alex stepped back and Maggie came in.

"Want something to drink?"

"No, thanks."

Alex shrugged, slightly disappointed, leading them toward her room. They sat down at the table, and Maggie immediately took out her notebooks.

"So what part exactly did you have a problem with?"

Alex was a little sorry that Maggie had gone straight to study, but on the other hand, she had no way of knowing that Alex had no interest in learning material she already knew.

"Um, the invisible numbers? Yeah, I don’t think I understood everything there." She looked down shyly.

"Okay, so let's start with that," Maggie opened the notebook without any sign that she had seen Alex's shy look. Alex swallowed her pride and sat up, pretending to understand nothing of the material being studied, and Maggie repeatedly explaining the exercises, slowly and patiently.

Alex tried the exercises, again and again, deliberately making some mistakes, and some succeeded, and Maggie explained her mistakes to her and showed her how to do the exercises correctly. Alex had deliberately managed to succeed in several exercises, and Maggie smiled at the last one.

"I think you figured it out," she said, nodding contentedly. Alex felt proud, though there was nothing hard for her when she did them, and yet Maggie gave her the feeling that she had really succeeded something today, thanks to her.

"It's all thanks all to you, you're a really good teacher," Alex told her, patting her shoulder with a smile. The touch of Maggie's shoulder was warm and surprisingly soft, and Alex involuntarily wondered how the back of her neck would feel under Alex's hands, her back, her cheeks... Are they all equally warm? Maggie nodded lightly, beginning to pack her things.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Alex heard herself say. She hadn’t planned it, hadn’t planned it at all, but something in her didn’t want Maggie to go. She felt she wanted more than she had, and didn’t really understand why.

Maggie looked at her, that amused smile on her face. "No, but thanks for the offer," she said.

Alex watched her as she continued to pack her things. She tried to think of something that would make Maggie stay, or at least agree to a second meeting until it would be appropriate to invite her to the prom. It's about the prom, she reminded herself, not Maggie, or dating. Or dating Maggie.

"Listen, you're a really good teacher," she said, Maggie pausing to listen to her words. "I didn’t understand anything about algebra so well as you explained to me for a long time." Of course, that was a lie. Alex knew algebra better than most of the class, though she hoped Maggie didn’t know it.

"So maybe... if you agree... continue to teach me? I get stuck in so many subjects in class, I'm completely lost, and my mom will kill me if I don’t pass the finals." That was a lie too. Eliza often told her daughters that their grades were not as important to her as what’s in the heart, though both Alex and Kara were outstanding students, even though they didn’t have to prove anything to their mother.

Maggie looked at her for a few seconds, thoughtfully.

"I'm willing to pay you if you’d like," said Alex, wondering after a thought whether it was too slutty to pay someone who would eventually come to the prom with you, and what made her say such silly things today.

"No, there's no need, Danvers. I'll teach you."

"Really?" Alex's smile widened, and she discovered that it was absolutely real.

"Yes, really." Maggie smiled too, though not as wide as Alex. "Do you want to set a day and hour?"

"Let's stay on Tuesdays, six-thirty," Alex said. "Is that okay?"

Maggie shrugged and put her backpack on her shoulder. "Works for me."

"Excellent."

She accompanied Maggie to the front door, opening it for her. "Again, thank you," she said, sending her a captivating smile.

For the first time Maggie stood up and looked at her, and Alex suddenly fell silent, her smile frozen on her face. Maggie's gaze was so penetrating that Alex wasn’t sure how to move on. She nodded to her, waiting for her to turn around so that she could close the door.

Maggie kept looking at her for a few seconds, as if surveying her in her eyes, then turned. "See you, Danvers," she called, and left the Danvers House's driveway, walking down the street.

Alex didn’t wait for her to go out of sight and went inside, closing the door, leaning on it, her head full of thoughts.

You tried already, said a voice in her head. You tried to fall in love, and it didn’t work for you, so don’t try anymore. It's a recipe for suicide. It's just a bet, that's all.

She shook her head for the sake of determination and took Maggie out of her head, leaving her out of it successfully until the next time she saw her.

\\\

Alex blow the whistle and the girls started running on the field.

"Look alive, people, we have a game in a month, let’s go, let’s go!" She called out, clapping her hands to speed them up. She was proud of her team, which she had trained and nurtured for over a year, and so far they have won almost every game.

The training went well, and Alex released the girls, patting the backs of some on their way to the locker room, cheers them with pride. Lucy was the last in line and they stood side by side, Lucy pulling out a bottle of water.

"It went well, right?"

"It was great, Danvers, we're going to tear Razorbacks ass," Lucy said, putting her hand on Alex's shoulder.

Alex nodded, looking at the girls in the group who had begun to organize themselves in the dressing room and Kara that hurried to Lena, who was sitting at the end of the lot, handing her a towel and a bottle of water.

"So how was the date with Maggie?"

Alex turned her head sharply at Lucy. "It wasn’t a date, she just came to my house, taught me all the stuff I already knew," Alex folded her hands and exhaled. "I have to make her like me a little bit before I even suggest she come to the prom with me."

"Are you telling me that she hasn’t fallen to your feet yet? You turned the usual Danvers charm on her?”

"Of course, including everything, the whole package. But nothing helps, she looks at me with that look that's like... it's like a stone, but it’s not cold or anything, just like she doesn’t care." Alex thought for a moment. "Are you sure she's gay?"

"Positive. I even asked Vasquez yesterday to be absolutely sure, she said she moved here a few months ago from some godforsaken town in the south, and she hardly talked to people. But she did go out with some people, all girls, so I'm pretty sure she’s gay.” Lucy took another sip of water, and they started walking toward the dressing room, Alex still with hands folded, pensive.

"I guess you have to practice a little bit to get the magic back into action," Lucy teased and began to walk quickly to the locker room. "You're a bit out of shape,"

"Shut up, Lane," Alex shot, earning a giggle from Lucy, that sent her a kiss in the air.

"I still think you're hot!"

\\\

Alex and Maggie continued to meet on Tuesdays at six-thirty. Maggie would arrive just in time and they went into Alex's room, studying until Maggie had to go, and Alex would escort her, trying to figure out again and again how Maggie isn't getting along with her flirting state, almost completely Ignoring It.

Almost.

Because it wasn’t that Maggie ignored every look or smile or word Alex tried to send her, she just didn’t... reacted the way Alex thought she should. She wasn’t used to making her moves and getting a smirk, or eyebrow raise, or a cough that indicated that Maggie wanted to continue learning and not talk about movies, or music, or any other subject Alex tried to raise in an attempt to get to know her better.

"I'm very close to giving up," she announced to Lucy a couple of weeks later, a few days before the game. They sat on the grass beside the field after the training, resting in the light sun of the afternoon. "It's like she doesn’t care if I hit on her three times a week. I even tried to talk to her in class, or in the hallway, but she just said goodbye and left." She leaned back. "I don’t know what to do anymore."

"Come on, Danvers, don’t give up now, you've wasted almost a month of your life trying to impress this girl. you better figure this one out." Lucy leaned back beside her, closing her eyes.

"Then you better help me, because I’m running out of ideas."

There was silence while Lucy thought.

“I think you're approaching it the wrong way. You try to talk to her about interests and try to impress her with flirting and smiling, and that's clearly not working, so maybe she's a different kind of girl. maybe she needs a more... aggressive approach. "

"Are you offering what I think you're offering?" Alex opened her eyes to look at Lucy with half horrified, half frightened look. 

"No, Geez, Danvers, grow up," Lucy sighed. "I think you should just ask her out, but not for a date. just… like, for the game, tell her to come see you in the game, maybe it will impress her."

"Huh," Alex said, raising an eyebrow. She turned the idea over and over again in her head, and it sounded like a good idea to her. "I'll try."

"You Better, otherwise I won’t lend you money to pay Lena."

"Wouldn’t dream of it, Lane."

\\\

Maggie squinted intently, perusing the exercise Alex had solved a few moments before. Alex tried not to stare at her face, and instead, her gaze rested on her hands. It didn’t really distract her. She studied Maggie's hands quietly. they looked strong, pleasant, wise. She thought of Maggie's hands, her gaze wandering to her arms, her shoulders, until Maggie's voice brought her back to reality.

"You were wrong, the answer is one hundred and fifty-eight, not a hundred seventy. Look," Maggie began to explain the process of the solution that Alex had done, explaining where she had been wrong and how she could have avoided the mistake. Of course, Alex knew all this, deliberately mistaking too long to make Maggie think she still needed help.

"Of course, how could I forget to add the numbers aside?" Alex shook her head and smiled charmingly. Maggie didn’t seem impressed and began to write a new exercise, handing it to Alex.

"Excellent, you understood that," Maggie smiled as she examined the exercise Alex solved. Alex raised a fist in triumph. There was quiet for a few moments, and Alex jumped at the opportunity.

"So... I was thinking." She bit her lip and looked down, trying as hard as she could to look attractive. "Would you like to come to our game on Saturday? I mean," thoughts began to run through her mind and she began to stammer. "I know that the whole school is invited, but I mean, I don’t know if, if you are, I mean, you usually come to the games? I just, um, in any case, you’re invited. you wanna... I mean, would you? come?"

Oh my god, shut the fuck up right now Danvers,

Maggie’s smile almost reached her eyes and she raised an eyebrow. She drummed a few times on the table with the pencil in her hand and seemed to consider the offer.

"I really don’t go to games normally, but..." She patted the pencil on her lips, thinking. "You guys are a good team?"

"The best that's ever seen in Midvale High for years," said Alex, smiling proudly.

Maggie snickered. "Well, it would be a shame to lose a game like that, I suppose."

"So you’ll come?" Alex's eyes lit up, and Maggie nodded slowly, beginning to gather her things.

"Great, so I'll see you there." Said Alex, watching Maggie stuff her bag on her back. Maggie patted the arm of the chair once and turned to go, and suddenly she turned again.

"Danvers," she said, and the word came out of her mouth as if it wasn’t going to, but something in her pushed it out, and now it was in the air, between the two of them, eager to be out there in the air of the world, but not very sure what was its purpose.

Alex looked at her, her gaze asking.

"I... um." The words now came out as if they were being pushed out, squeezing out of the bars of a cage, pulling themselves out by force. "I think... I think you're cute."

Alex's breath was almost taken away, and she looked at Maggie, her eyes slowly widening. Maggie seemed relieved, but the words hung overhead, echoing in their ears like an orchestra that came out of tune.

"Wow, um..." Alex tried to think of a suitable response. "I... I also think, I mean, you're really cute. too."

Maggie nodded briefly, her cheeks are rad. "Yeah, so..." She breathed deeply, looking around.

"See you tomorrow?" Alex gestured forward, trying to make her feel more comfortable with the situation. Her heart was beating at a speed she didn’t know.

"Yes, yes," Maggie blurt out and left the room, and Alex heard her come out of the house, still rooted.

What the hell.

\\\

"And then she just went out?"

Alex looked up, nodding. "Do you think I ruined everything?"

Lucy studied her, squinting. "I don’t think you ruined everything, but you guys better talk." She went to her cubicle and took out her game shirt. "Maybe it's time you invited her to the prom?"

"What?" Alex's eyes widened in panic and she looked around, as some of the girls looked at her interestedly and leaned toward Lucy, lowering her voice. "I'm not even sure she really likes me," she said.

"Listen, Danvers," Lucy said wearily, taking off her blouse and staying in a training bra, adjusting the game shirt and putting it on. "She told you she thinks you're cute, she didn’t flaunt you completely, and she agreed to teach you even though, in my experience, you are intolerable when taught." Alex glared at her, folding her hands. "So I think, that since this whole story is meant for you two to go to the prom together, I suggest you ask her before someone else will and you'll lose too much money then you can afford." She put her hands on Alex's shoulders and stared at her, Alex looking back at her in half despair, half confusion.

"Now, I suggest you go dress because the game starts in fifteen minutes, and I don’t want my captain to have a nervous breakdown before the game, so just," she patted her shoulder. "We'll talk about this later."

Alex took a breath and nodded.

They went out to the field. The weather was hot but not too hot, and Alex felt her heart lighten. She walked alongside Kara to the middle of the field and everyone gathered on their side. Alex wasn’t a person of a long talk, and she always summed up her words to a few satisfying lines that reassured her group members. She looked around at them all and finally at Kara, who gave her a reassuring glance. Alex smiled at her.

"Okay, people, we can do it. I believe in each and every one of you. We're going to tear them apart, give away everything we have, and win this game big time. We worked together for so long, and this cup is ours. We're gonna get on this field and show them what we are capable of. Goodluck!” She put her hand in the middle of the circle and they all hurried to do the same, fanning them together with cheers.

The first half passed quickly, and their team had a significant advantage over Razorbacks. Lucy scored the last goal in the halftime and went on a run around the field, waving her hands in the air. The judge whistled, and they went off for a halftime. Alex sat down on the bench beside Kara, who handed her a bottle of water, which she finished with a few quick sips. Lena approached them.

"Honey, you were amazing!" She called happily and leaned over to kiss Kara's cheek. "The team is in good shape, Alex," she complimented Alex, who shook her head gratefully. There was another half of the game and she had to keep her strength.

They stayed there for a few more minutes, Kara and Lena chatting and Alex listening to them with half an ear, as a high, pleasant voice reached her ears.

"Danvers!"

She turned her head, finding Maggie in front of her. Maggie smiled, a little nervous, but still managed to maintain her slightly cocky image. Alex smiled at her, waving. Kara and Lena stopped talking and looked interestedly.

"You're here," said Alex, as if she had any doubt. Maggie nodded, looking around, slightly embarrassed.

"Enjoying the game?" Alex asked. Maggie shrugged. "It's okay. You play very well," she added, nodding.

Kara let out a cough and Alex couldn’t help rolling her eyes. "Yes, Maggie, this is my little sister, Kara, and her girlfriend, Lena." She gestured toward them and Kara gave a charming smile and waved. Alex wondered if Maggie already knew them by name since most of the school knew the Danvers sisters and their friends, but preferred not to take the risk in case she didn’t.

"Hello." Maggie shook her head at them and looked back at Alex.

"So... um... I just jumped to say good luck in the next half." Maggie fiddled with her hands, moving them as she spoke and patting her thighs, and finally stuck them in her pockets, a little embarrassed. Alex gave her a small encouraging smile and took another sip from the bottle.

Maggie nodded sharply. "Yeah, so... see you."

Alex waved her hand. "Bye."

She watched her walk away, her flowing hair fluttering behind her. She was completely cut off from what was going on around her until she hardly heard Kara talking to her.

"Earth to Alex," Kara's hand pokes Alex's shoulder. Alex turned to look at her.

"That's the girl, huh?" Lena said, also examining Maggie's figure from afar.

"Indeed."

"Cute."

"Alex thinks so too," Kara teased. Alex turned her head sharply at Kara, grumbling against Kara's laughing face.

"What, it's true! any idiot can see how you look at her," Kara nodded in the direction Maggie walked and took another sip from her bottle. "Who knows, maybe we've arranged a new girlfriend for you and two hundred bucks," she shrugged in mock innocence. Alex continued to sulk.

"No way, after the prom I’m dumping this chick." Alex's voice was cold. "I have nothing to do with her. She might become my prom queen, but I have no reason to stay with her until after the prom. Maybe one or two night stands, but that’s it," she added.

Kara was silent, looking at her with a little surprise. Alex was known to have never committed herself to any relationship, but never for breaking hearts. Everyone knew what she was looking for, and no one had any expectations of getting more than that. But such talk, about throwing the girl like junk after use, wasn't characteristic of Alex. Kara opened her mouth to say something about it when another voice joined them.

"Hello, Danvers," Rick Malverne emerged from behind them as if he had been sitting there all this time. His voice was slippery and low and he looked at the three girls with a startling gaze. Alex looked at him scornfully and Lena rolled her eyes while Kara looked a little frightened.

"What do you want, Malverne?" Alex growled at him. He stood in front of them, a smug smile on his face, folding his arms on his chest in a way that was supposed to accentuate his muscles but earned nothing more than more scornful and disgusting looks.

"Nothing, just want to compliment your great game skills, girls." His speech tone was slow and seductive, and his eyes slid over Kara's body, but none of the girls seemed impressed. In fact, Lena looked almost angry.

"You did, now get out of our sight," she hissed, standing almost in front of Kara as if trying to protect her. His gaze changed to a look of pity when he looked at Lena, also examining her shamelessly.

"What the pressure, Luthor? Afraid of good competition?" He tilted his head to one side.

"Shut up," Alex clenched her fists and rose from her seat, looking at him with ominous eyes. "Don’t you dare even talk about my sister."

"Alex." He turned his head for the first time to look at Alex, raising an eyebrow with interest. "I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing."

They stood there for a few more seconds, Alex longing to smack his tender-smelling face and Kara ran her hands over and over her thighs, angry but stressed. Alex knew she wasn't interested in a fight, especially not now, and stopped herself from hitting him.

"So is it true, Danvers? you’re taking a girl to the prom for money?"

Alex froze. He did hear their conversation and she exchanged a quick glance with Lena, wondering how to answer.

"None of this is your goddamn business, so why don't you evaporate the hell out of here already," Lena said, taking a step forward. He didn’t flinch and his smile only grew. He looked from Alex to Lena and finally to Kara, his eyes groping her without hesitation.

"Alright then." He nodded at them and began to walk away slowly, keeping his dignity.

Alex landed back in her seat, resting her hand on Kara's shoulder. "Don’t let him get into your head. he's a horrible skunk and a nasty homophobic, and you shouldn't let him play you like that." She ran her hand back and forth on Kara's back, who nodded with a tremor. Lena sat down next to her, wrapping her in a hug, whispering soothing words to her. Kara buried her face in Lena's shoulder and breathed deeply, trying to relax.

Alex leaned over beside her, putting her hands on Kara's knees. "Hey, I love you. you can do it." She glanced at Lena and Lena gave a little nod, to sign that she’s got kara. Alex patted Kara's knee and glanced at her watch. "We'll be back in five minutes, I'll see you there."

Kara nodded and closed her eyes. Alex gently kissed her cheek and hurried toward the field. Lucy stood there with some of the girls in the group, and when she saw Alex she went over to her.

"There are rumors that the captain of the other team had panic attacked in the wardrobe, so I'm pretty sure we're going to kick their asses." Lucy sounded pleased and overjoyed, and Alex carved a smile out of herself and nodded in agreement.

"Something happened?"

"No, it's just... that stupid Malverne, he hit on Kara again, while Lena and I were standing next to her. It's like he's got a death wish or something." Alex pinched the bridge of her nose wearily. Lucy put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don’t worry, she'll be fine. She has Lena, and she has you and me, and James and Winn too. She'll be fine."

Alex exhaled a long breath. "You're right."

The judge blew the whistle.

"Two minutes," murmured Lucy, and Alex saw Kara hurrying toward them. She hugged her warmly, squeezing her perhaps too hard, and immediately turned to look at her face.

"Let’s go kick some ass, okay?" She said, and Kara nodded, smiling.

The second half went through harder then they expected, and the second group seemed surprisingly recovered. They almost closed the gap, but at the last minute Kara had the honor to score the final goal, and their team burst into cries of happiness, lifting Kara high with joy, embracing each other, jubilant and rejoicing. Lena rushed to the group, running, and kissed the happy Kara, who swung her up in the air in an almost too cheesy manner.

Alex was happy. Her team won the game, her sister is a great soccer player with an amazing girlfriend, and her best friend is crushing her with a proud hug, while she gets pats and cheers from all sides. The crowd began to disperse, and Alex was lifted on someone's shoulders, high in the air. She looked at the crowd that was beginning to leave the field, recognizing Maggie's short figure standing on the side, looking at her with interest. In a moment's decision, she raised her hand and waved excitedly. Maggie looked uncertain for a second and finally raised her own hand, waving back.

Alex wanted to shout something or to raise her thumb up in the air, but before she could decide what to do, she was carried away on someone's back, toward the locker rooms, unable to turn around and look back.

\\\\\

**[Maggie Sawyer | 15:48]** Good game, Danvers. I really enjoyed it.

**[Alex Danvers | 15:50]** I'm happy! thanks for coming.

**[Alex Danvers | 16:04]** We're having a party tonight, at our house, for the victory.

**[Alex Danvers | 16:05]** You wanna come?

**[Maggie Sawyer | 16:27]** I suppose I can come...

**[Alex Danvers | 16:31]** Kara and I would be very happy to see you.

\ 

"Oooh, Kara and I, not suggesting at all," Lucy remarked over Alex's shoulder. Alex quickly turned off the phone screen.

"Fuck off, Luce."

Lucy sent her a kiss and approached the fridge, taking out a can of soda. "So is she coming or not?"

Alex sighed and looked at her phone. "I don’t know. I try to make her want to come without making it look too desperate, but all the words fall from my head as soon as I think of what would happen if she will. lucky I can’t stammer messages." She rubbed her forehead, drumming nervously with the tip of her fingers on the table. Lucy sipped and looked at her thoughtfully.

"It has never happened to you before."

Alex shook her head. "Never."

Lucy was silent, placing the can on the table carefully. "You know," she said slowly. "We can talk to Lena, ask her to cancel this whole bet. if you want to go out with Maggie, I mean. if you feel like you don’t want this to turn into something-"

"What? No, no," Alex shook her head quickly. "I don’t want to go out with Maggie. She is really cute and kinda hot, but I don’t want to be her girlfriend, or... anything like that," she added quickly, refusing to look into Lucy's eyes. "I just want to make her like me enough so she can come to the prom with me, and then we'll be the prom's king and queen, or whatever, and then we'll finish this story." She shrugged. "And then you and I will go buy some expensive drinks with the money I get," She smirked and got up to the fridge to get a can for herself. Lucy bit her lip.

"Alex, are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"Yeah, don’t worry-"

"I mean, Maggie is nice girl-"

"I know that-"

"She'll feel bad and you'll feel bad, and-"

"I just don’t want to go out with Maggie!" Alex cut her off, almost shouting. Lucy paused, looking at Alex in surprise. Alex closed the open fridge without taking anything out of it. She avoided Lucy's gaze.

"I'm just, really tired of the game, I want to take a nap before the party, so I’m just gonna go to bed." She hurried out of the kitchen, her heart pounding rhythmically, leaving Lucy behind, speechless.

\\\

The basses knocked hard on Alex's floor, while she stood in front of the mirror and studied herself for the last time before going downstairs. There were people down there, too many people, and lots of music, and as she knows Lucy, too many drinks. She fixed a strand of unruly hair and took a deep breath.

Maggie didn’t answer her last message, and she didn’t know what she was more hopeful for, if it meant she was coming or not. This could be the first time she would speak to Maggie in a room full of people, too many people to witness her downfall. If that happens, she'll just have to... overcome herself.

"Get it together, Danvers." She murmured to the girl in the mirror.

"Alex!!"

"I'm coming!"

If I'm lucky, she thought as she went down the stairs,  I'd meet some cute girl to distract me. Yes, that would be nice. 

"There you are, we've been waiting for you for too long." Lucy smiled cheerfully at her and didn’t seem to remember the incident between the two of them hours ago. Alex wasn’t interested in reminding her, and she smiled back, taking the bottle of beer she handed her.

The living room was crowded with people, most of whom she didn’t know, but when some of the popular girls in the school win an important game, the whole school feel the need to come to the victory party. She noticed Kara and Lena sitting on one of the single armchairs in the corner of the room, Lena is sitting on Kara's knees, who talked excitedly to some of the people around them, Lena making comments that made Kara laugh out every few seconds. Winn was on the side, playing the music (Alex thought he looked a bit like a rocket engineer when he typed the list of songs on his computer) and finally, she noticed James approaching them from a distance.

"How's it going, girls? Good game," he patted Alex on the shoulder affectionately, looking at Lucy with a bright smile. Lucy blushed slightly, nodded and smiled back. Alex took a sip of her drink, choosing to ignore the exchange of looks. "Thank you, James."

James and Lucy began to talk about something that Alex couldn’t concentrate on, and she studied the room in silence, discovering too late that she was looking for Maggie. She cursed inside her head and closed her eyes, trying to join Lucy and James so they’ll distract her.

"...But there's no comparison at all to the Nikon’s 300-millimeter zoom lens," James said, nodding knowingly. "I have to do some more work at the garage, but I suppose a few months of work will give me the money I need for this lens," he took a sip of his drink.

"Sounds cool," Lucy said, and the smile that came to her eyes shone at him. A loud new song suddenly came from the loudspeakers and there were whistles and cheers from all sides, the living room suddenly became a dance floor, all waving their drinks in the air.

"D’you wanna..." James said with a smile and looked at Lucy, nodding toward the center of the living room.

"I’d love to." She smiled at him and the two of them disappeared from Alex's eyes in seconds, holding hands. Alex watched them walk away and sighed, praying in her heart that the flirtations between the two that had lasted too long for her opinion will come to an end and someone will already ask the other to go out.

She walked toward the kitchen, in the opposite direction of all the commotion, and went to the fridge, pouring herself a glass of water. She didn’t feel like she wanted to drink or dance, or even celebrate. She tried to think what was causing this feeling. She had trained her team for months to win the game, and they had won, and that was all she needed. So why does she feel like she's missing something? Why does she feel like she can’t celebrate, even though she has all the reasons?

"Hey, Danvers."

She froze. Get it together, Danvers. She took a deep breath and put on her most stunning smile. Showtime.

"Sawyer," she said in a sweet voice. She turned, finding Maggie standing in the kitchen doorway.

And found out that all her words had disappeared.

Maggie was dressed in tight jeans and a white buttoned shirt, her hair falling right around her face. Her mouth was curled in a smirk and Alex felt like that look is almost mocking her. She opened her mouth and closed it, finding it hard to think of sensible words to say.

"How... h-how are you?" She finally managed to get out. Maggie's eyes looked even more laughing, and she grinned almost cockily. Alex began to worry that she was making a fool of herself, and she took a breath and tried to relax. It's just a bet, she reminded herself. Just a stupid bet.

"I’m quite alright, and you?"

"I’m great."

"I see you've recovered from the game." Maggie studied Alex carefully, slowly, up and down, in a movement much like Rick had done on Kara that afternoon. But instead of revulsion, Alex felt an accelerated heartbeat, and almost blushed, thinking how one movement in different people meant other things altogether.

"Yeah, I took a nap. Gotta be fresh for the party,” Alex shrugged and leaned back, folding her hands. Maggie moved slowly toward her, her hands in the pockets of her jeans.

"And yet, I didn’t found you out there. What are you doing in here?" Maggie raised an eyebrow.

Alex was silent, trying to think of an answer. Her mind, which was usually sharp and quick, and gave witty answers, became obscure as soon as she looked into Maggie's brown eyes, which looked at her with interest.

Because I can’t understand why I'm not happy even though we won. Because I feel something in me is missing and I don’t know what is it. Because I don't think I've ever seen anything prettier than you in these jeans...

Alex coughed and wore her lovely smile. "I just, ah, I needed some water. I was... thirsty." God dammit, Danvers. She imagined Lucy facepalming hearing her reaction.

Maggie looked like she was swallowing a smile, and she glanced at the glass of water that was indeed on the counter next to Alex.

"Well, if you drunk I guess you should go back to the party.” Maggie began to move toward the exit. She stopped for a moment and looked back. "Are you coming?"

Something inside had urged her to stay in the kitchen and never leave, but she couldn’t think of anything else she wanted to do more than be next to Maggie. 

"Yeah." and they went out into the living room.

The rest of the party went well, Alex managed to gather herself and behave better next to Maggie. Maggie, on her part, seemed to fit well next to the more popular people, making all the right comments and laughing at all the right moments, surprising Alex, who stood beside her. They drank, played, talked, and even danced a little (apart, obviously, Alex found herself stealing glances over and over again, examining Maggie's body moving to the rhythm of the music in a way that made her heart bang too fast) until it was getting late and the Danvers' living room emptied slowly, leaving a few people talking in the corners of the room and quiet music from the speakers. Alex talked to Lucy and Lena in the corner of the room, Kara fell asleep on Lena's lap.

"Danvers?" Maggie walked over to her, uncertain. Alex hadn’t intended to abandon her but she seemed to be doing well on her own, and now she noticed her and came over to her quickly.

"Yes?"

"I'm going." She smiled a little and raised her chin. "Thanks, the party was good."

"Sure, yeah, thank you, you..." Alex's head was fogged and she tried to think. "I, um, I'll walk you out."

The cool night air hit her face, refreshing her a little. Maggie's hair fluttered in the wind and Alex looked at her, then looked down, kicking her feet on the ground a little.

"Thank you, Danvers," Maggie said, turning back to look at Alex. "See you next week, as usual?"

Alex nodded. Maggie shook her head once and turned to leave.

“Maggie, do you want to go to the prom with me?" Alex heard a voice say. A few seconds later, she realized it was her own voice. Maggie turned, a little confused.

"Go to the prom with you?" Her eyebrows twisted and then they rose, and suddenly a smile came over her face. Alex was still standing there, hearing nothing but her heart, which was pounding in her ears.

"Alright," Maggie said. The smile on her face was the most real Alex had ever seen, and an inexplicable fear crept into her. "I'll go to the prom with you."

"Right, okay, great," Alex managed to say, panting. "Yeah, cool, I ..."

"See you in class, Alex." Maggie turned to leave, and this time, with nothing to stop her, she went on, walking lightly down the street, and Alex remained standing there, watching her back walk away. She wondered again why she was feeling bad.

\\\

"Two weeks, Danvers," Lucy said, patting Alex's shoulder. "Two more weeks and it will be over."

Alex nodded, her head still stuck on the plate in front of her. In two weeks she would take Maggie to the prom, and after that, she wouldn’t have to talk to her, nor communicate with her, nor nothing. The last thing she needs now was a relationship that was destined to be doomed.

"Have you thought about what you're wearing yet?"

Alex shrugged, moving the food from side to side on her plate. "Kara is going this week to find something for her to wear, she'll drag me with her, I suppose."

Lucy pursed her lips, looking at the tired figure of Alex leaning her cheek against her palm and with the other hand she continued to play with the food on her plate. "Alex," she said quietly.

"I, I don’t need you to act like, like something's wrong." Alex straightened up, put down her fork. "Like you said, in two weeks it'll be over, and everything will be fine." She lifted herself, putting her bag on her back.

"Alex, you-"

"I'm fine, Luce, I promise." Alex turned and left, leaving Lucy looking at her back.

\\\ 

They went on studying together, Alex pretending she was getting better at the material, and Maggie smiled more and more proud smiles. In fact, not that Alex had noticed it, but Maggie seemed lighter and recently smiled more then general, and their meetings became less study and more talking. At long last, Maggie opened, ready to share herself with Alex.

Alex didn’t complain. Maggie was sharp, charming, and her laugh, which now sounded more often, made Alex's heart flutter. She almost completely ignored the fact that she didn’t intend to "save" Maggie after the prom, and concentrate on the fact that when Maggie is beside her she feels liberated, lighter, happier. The next test was due on Wednesday, and although they met now on an almost daily basis, Maggie arrived as usual on Tuesday to study. The books were soon forgotten, and both drifted into a talk, giggles, and nothing that resembled algebra in general.

"Alex?" There was a knock on the door and Kara's voice came from outside.

"Yes, Kara, come in," Alex called, still smiling. She and Maggie turned in their chairs toward the door, which opened, and Kara's head peered inside.

"I just wanted to tell you that Lena is here, and Mom is coming back in a little while,”

"Oh," Alex hurried to look at her watch. They drifted over time and didn’t notice that it was long past their finish time. She looked back at Kara. "Thanks."

Kara nodded last, looked at them for a fraction of a second longer, and closed the door behind her.

Maggie turned to Alex with a smile. "Well, I think we've had a lot of progress today," she said with a laugh, beginning to pack her things. Alex laughed.

"No, but seriously, Danvers, you're getting really good in this stuff, I believe you'll succeed."

"All I know is thanks to you." Alex was so used to flirting with Maggie that she almost forgot what it was to talk normally. She has to pull herself together. Maggie smiled broadly, putting the bag on her back.

They stood face to face as if they're waiting for a sign to tell them to move forward. To say something, do something, go somewhere. Anything to keep Alex from drowning in Maggie's brown eyes, which made her feel like she’s in a vortex every time she looked into them too much.

"I’m-"

"So.."

They talked at the same time, and stopped immediately, giggling. Alex gestured toward Maggie, instructing her to go first.

"I believe you can do it, this test is in your pocket."

Alex smiled at her, her smile real now. Maggie seemed to notice this and moved slowly toward her. Alex's breath was almost taken, and she just looked at Maggie, who was getting closer to her.

"You're pretty amazing, Danvers." She said these words softly a few inches away from Alex's lips, and Alex could think of nothing but the hypothetical taste of Maggie's lips when they will touch hers, how soft they would be, and whether she would break under the touch of hands that would hold her neck, and the scent that would be close to her nose more then ever, and Maggie's tongue that will walk on her lips and her own tongue, and what was going to happen after that kiss, and when would it ever happen, and could it happen now, right now...

But Maggie just smiled mischievously and walked away without doing anything, leaving Alex almost closed-eyed, frozen, unable to speak.

"See you tomorrow," Maggie said, leaving the room.

Alex takes a minute or two to thaw, but Maggie has left the house by then.

\

"Alex?"

Kara knocked twice before coming in, peering her head with a slightly worried look. "Can I come in?"

Alex sat cross-legged on the bed, her head in her hands. She raised her gaze to Kara, her eyes glazed. She nodded, straightening up.

Kara came in and sat down on the bed, putting a hand on Alex's back.

"I saw Maggie when she left the house, you didn’t walk her out." She hesitated for a moment. "Something happened?"

"She likes me."

"A lot of girls like you, Alex."

"Yes, but I like her back." Alex's gaze was terrified, and she put her hand on Kara's knee. "What am I supposed to do, Kara? I... I don’t know what to do in this situation." She closed her eyes. "That's not true, I do know, in theory, but it never went well..." Kara ran her hand back and forth on Alex's back.

"I like her, Kara, I really do..." She looked up at Kara. "I don’t want to hurt her. She doesn't know I can’t be with her."

"So tell her, go to her and cancel everything. I'll talk to Lena. It's just a bet, Alex, no one should get hurt."

"It is not that simple..."

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Alex, if you don’t mind me asking... why is not it possible for you to be together?" Alex immediately shook her head, but Kara went on. "What's the problem? You like her, and she's you, so why not..."

"Because, Kara, I don’t know one thing about relationships, and every time I try to get into one, it blows up all over my face, and the last thing I want is to get into a relationship with Maggie. I don’t want to hurt her." She shook her head again. "I don’t want to hurt her." She whispered.

"I know," Kara hugged Alex, rubbing her shoulder sympathetically. They stayed like that, held for a few moments.

"Listen, we don’t have to go on with this bet, I'll talk to Lena, she'll understand. We'll cancel everything, and you'll go to the prom in the best outfit we can find you, single and proud." Kara smiled at her.

"Tomorrow morning, you’ll go and talk to Maggie, tell her you made a mistake and that you can’t take her to the prom, okay?" She put her head on Alex's shoulder. "She'll understand. And who knows, maybe you'll even stay good friends."

"Yeah," Alex murmured, putting her head on Kara's head.

\\\

Okay, I'm just finishing this test and go to look for Maggie. Not a big deal. I'm excellent with this material. I can do it. Go to Maggie. Apologize. I can. Okay. Okay.

The test went smoothly, and Alex was among the first to leave the classroom, taking a last look at Maggie, who sunk into her chair, her forehead crinkled in concentration. Alex's heart quivered, and she left the classroom, shaking her head.

She waited on one of the benches in the hallway, waiting for Maggie to pass by on her way to her locker. She went through all the possible scenarios and possibilities, trying to formulate a sincere apology as possible. The more she thought about it, the more she believed she could do it without bad consequences. Maggie would understand. She wouldn’t be angry if Alex explained everything to her. She took a deep breath and leaned back, waiting.

"Shut up, Malverne!"

The scream came from down the hallway and Alex looked curiously. Lucy suddenly appeared beside her, and they exchanged confused glances.

"What’s going on with Malverne?" She sat down next to her.

"I don’t know, but I hope he’s gonna get hit," Alex said, raising an eyebrow. There was a gathering, and more shouts were heard.

"You're a liar, you piece of shit!" The sound of a blow punch and a broad 'woooo'.

"So how was the te-?" Alex stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes widened in horror and she looked at the crowd. She couldn’t see who was standing next to Rick. But she knew who it was.

"Oh, it was alright, as usual. Trick question on 3b, but you know me, I just love it whe-”

"Luce, it’s Maggie!" Alex jumped up without waiting for a response, running quickly toward the crowd.

"What?" Lucy hurried after her. "Oh, god.."

They got there, Alex pushed between the crowd to get to the center, revealing Rick laughing mockingly as he gripped his jaw, which must have been hit by Maggie's fist, and two thugs holding her not to hurt him again.

"Let her go!" Alex heard herself shout, unable to see Maggie held in their arms like that. They let her go and she shook them, looking at Alex with an angry look. No, boiling look.

"Well, she's right here, why don’t you ask her yourself?" Rick was still rubbing his jaw, but there was a pleasures smile on his face. There was silence, and a few murmurs were heard all around. Alex hoped no one was filming this. She looked at Maggie, confused and frightened.

"Is it true?" Maggie asked, her voice not strong but her eyes penetrating. Alex exchanged glances with Lucy, who looked as frightened as she was.

"What's true?" She said, embarrassed.

"Is it true that you bet with your friends to invite me to the prom and get two hundred dollars in return?" Maggie's eyes didn’t stop drilling holes in Alex's skull, begging her to say no.

Alex couldn’t breathe. She looked at Lucy, then at Rick, and at the audience, who had meanwhile been joined by Kara and Lena, standing on the other side of the circle, their faces terrified. She was looking for a way out of this accursed situation, an easy way out. But there wasn’t. She looked back at Maggie, whose realization slowly settle on her face.

"It's not exactly-"

"Answer the question, Danvers." Maggie's voice was sharp.

Alex sighed and looked down, unable to look at anything but the white tiles. Hardly daring to say those words. out loud. To Maggie. Five minutes ago she would have told her everything, but now?

"That, I... that’s, it's true, I did." She heard a gasp and dared to look up, see Maggie holding her head, shaking it with disbelief.

"I'm so, so sorry, Maggie, I-"

"Don’t. say. my name." Maggie glared at her. She looked up at Rick, who folded his hands in satisfaction as he looked at both of them. "And you," she scolded. "Mind your own fucking business next time, jerkface."

She looked at the crowd watching the scene. "No one here has anything better to do?" She shrieked angrily, and everyone began to mutter and go down the hall, minding their business. Maggie gave Alex a last look, a look that was contemptuous, and disappointed, and sad, her eyes slightly wet. "Is that all I am for you? an easy target to laugh at? you really don’t give a shit about me, do you?” Alex wanted to protest but Maggie raised her hand in the air. "I expected more from you, Alex," she murmured, shaking her head. Alex opened her mouth to answer but found she had nothing to say. Maggie sprinted in the other direction, leaving Alex to stand there, and Lucy's hand rested carefully on Alex's arm. Kara and Lena approached them slowly, and Alex just looked at Maggie running toward the exit, her hair flying behind her. She felt emptiness, the kind you feel there is nothing left to do, or say, or think. She turned to Rick.

"You," she said, and fell silent. He looked at her with a smug smile. "That'll teach you not to play with others feelings, Danvers." He picked up his backpack from the floor without breaking eye contact. She felt herself inching toward him unwittingly, her fist raised in the air, and stopped abruptly by Lucy and Lena.

"He's not worth it, Alex, come on," Lena murmured, and they pulled her away, her gaze still on his ugly face, wearing his ugly smile, and he shrugged his ugly shoulders and walked away, leaving no trace of what had happened a minute earlier.

They pulled Alex behind them and entered an empty classroom, beginning to talk quickly about the incident, Alex sitting down on one of the tables. Kara brought her water and pulled hair out of her face and the three of them kept talking, about Rick, and Maggie, and what had happened, and Alex sat there in a distant face, staring at the wall, mindless.

"Alex?" Kara asked cautiously, trying to catch her eye.

"She hates me." Alex finally looked up at Kara. "I told you I'd ruin everything."

"No, Alex." Kara shook her head and put a hand on her shoulder. "She doesn’t hate you. Go to her and apologize, tell her you didn’t mean it, tell her it was all a game, a silly game, tell her-"

"She doesn’t want to hear me. She won’t listen to the word I’ll say. She doesn't care." Alex's voice was hollow. Kara shook her head again and opened her mouth to contradict her, but Alex stopped her.

"I’m going home."

They watched her step out of the classroom with heavy steps, and Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

\\\

Alex went into the dark house, lit only by the outside sunlight. It was early noon, and she planned to take a long shower, maybe try to drown herself, and if that won’t work out, she’ll-

"Alex?"

Eliza came out of the study, her glasses on the tip of her nose, her eyes confused. She wore comfortable clothes, and Alex remembered that she was working from home today. She froze in the middle of taking her bag off her back and tried to find a convincing excuse for being at home at this hour.

"I, um..." she stammered. Eliza approaches her, her gaze becoming more and more concerned.

"Is everything okay?" She asked worriedly, putting a hand on Alex’s forehead. "You feel good? how was the test?"

"It was fine, thanks. I feel fine." She took her hand off her forehead and went to the kitchen. Eliza followed her.

"So... did something happen?"

Alex took a glass of water from the cupboard and poured herself slowly, her back still turned to Eliza.

"I'm fine, Mom."

There was a pause as Elisa studied Alex's back while she finished her glass of water with a few quick sips.

"Something happened."

"Nothing happened! I'm completely f-fine-" Alex choked in the middle of the sentence, and Eliza hurried to her, wrapping her in a hug, and the tears broke through the dams in Alex's eyes.

Eliza rocked her gently and rubbed her back, and Alex let herself sob into Eliza's shoulder, whimpering, crying, panting.

"Shhh... sweetie, everything will be alright, Shhh, it's alright." Eliza murmured to Alex's hair and gently, slowly sat her on one of the kitchen chairs, serving her a tissue and pouring her another glass of water.

Alex calmed down slowly, wiping her eyes and drinking three more glasses of water. Eliza stroked her cheek and spoke softly to her, and Alex managed to tell her everything from the start, the stupid bet, and then when Lucy pointed at Maggie, and then how slowly, maybe too late, Alex realized she couldn’t hurt Maggie like that.

A new wave of weeping washed over her, and she buried her face again in Eliza's shoulder, seeking solace.

"What have I done, Mom?"

Eliza waited for Alex to calm down a little and look at her with warm eyes. "You’ve made a mistake, but we are all humans, and we all make mistakes, and the right thing to do now is to go to her and ask for forgiveness." She handed her another tissue. "I'm sure that if you explain everything to her, she'll understand."

"She can’t even look at me, so she’ll listen to me?"

"So wait a few days, it's better. let her relax, let you clean your head about everything."

"The prom is in less than a week."

"But Maggie’s not going anywhere."

"Yet," Alex let out a bitter chuckle and reached for her glass of water.

There was a pause for a few minutes while Elisa gently rubbed Alex's back.

"Alex, if you don’t mind me asking..." she said cautiously. "Do you... like her?"

"Of course I-"

"No, Alex. I'm asking if you like her."

Alex looked into her mom's eyes, a warm look of concern.

"I..." She sighed heavily. "I don’t know." She stopped, burying her face in her hands.

"I think I do," she said quietly, in a muffled voice, through her hands. Eliza put a gentle hand on her arm.

She took a deep breath, nodding to herself. She looked at Eliza.

"I think I fell in love with her, Mom." She sniffed and nodded again. Suddenly there was nothing she was ever more certain about. It was so obvious, and simple, and logical, like she just refused to acknowledge it. Up until now.

Eliza smiled warmly at her. "Well, that fixes it."

"It doesn’t fix anything, you don’t understand. it’s just complicates everything." Alex buried her face in her hands again.

"No, Alex, it fixes everything because it gives you the chance to be in a relationship again with someone, and let yourself open, and do something good for yourself." She stopped for a moment, thinking. "I really think it's a good idea. as soon as… you know, you'll both relax a little and... make peace."

Alex shook her head.

"What if I'll hurt her? what if I get hurt? I'm not sure if I... I can't.. again," a single tear popped up at the tip of her eye.

Eliza stroked her cheek, gathering the tear with her thumb. "I think you should take the risk," she whispered.

Alex buried her face in her mom's shoulder and they sat there for a long time.

\

Kara came home, finding Alex asleep in her bed, soft trails of tears still on her cheeks. She lay down beside her carefully, wiping Alex's cheek with her fingertips. Alex awoke from the touch, blinking slowly, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey."

Alex didn’t answer and turned around. Kara hugged her from behind, and Alex sighed, putting her hand on Kara's arm. "I don’t deserve hugs today," she murmured.

"You deserve all the hugs," Kara replied.

Alex sighed again, shaking her head. She couldn’t express how she felt, and what she had understood since the incident. Since everything. Her head was full of vague thoughts, and she couldn’t even arrange them. Kara squeezed her tight and she surrendered to her embrace, closing her eyes. For now, there’s no reason to fight it.

She stayed home for the next few days. Eliza let her stay, claiming that sadness too is worth a sick leave. Lucy and Lena had come to visit, but all Alex wanted to do was lie on the couch in her most comfortable pajamas and stare at whatever it was on TV, without letting her mind concentrate. If she let herself think, he thought of Maggie, and that wasn’t something she wanted to do anytime soon.

"Did not she even got up?" Lena whispered. Kara shook her head sadly. "To the bathroom, and to take another chocolate snack, but she's stuck in front of the TV like a zombie. I'm not even sure she'll notice if I put on Disney Channel."

Lucy sighed. It was frustrating to see her best friend in such a situation. Of course, she tried to talk to her, but Alex didn’t answer her in more than a few syllables, and Lucy gave up and went to the kitchen to talk to Kara and Lena. They sat there, looking at the living room anxiously, exchanging hushed sentences and worried expressions.

\\\

"Are you going to stay like this forever?" Lucy sat down with a sigh on the couch next to Alex, a few days later. The prom was due to take place tomorrow, and Alex showed no signs of recovery. Eliza told the girls she needed time for herself, but it seemed as if she was burrowing deeper and deeper into her sadness.

Alex gave her a flat look. "Every time I think about it, it's like a pin piercing my heart, so I'm trying to distract myself until I think about it and it won’t hurt me so much."

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "No, it won’t go away, because you have feelings for Maggie. That's what the pain you feel called."

"Then I don’t want those feelings."

"But emotions are so much more than pain, it’s joy and happiness and tranquility and lots of other good things." Lucy moved closer to her and now put her hand gently under Alex's chin, forcing her to look at her. 

"And what you went through then, two years ago-"

"Don’t-"

"-And what you're going through now," Lucy went on, "that's the bad part. But if you let yourself really open... you'll realize that the package is full of such wonderful things, and you'll feel so good, Alex." Lucy shook her head with a soft smile. "You wouldn’t want to stop."

Alex looked at her for a few seconds, and put her hand on Lucy's hand, lowering their hands down. She closed her eyes, silent.

"You know..." Lucy continued to hold Alex's hand. "James asked me out to the prom."

Alex's eyes opened wide and she straightened up. "Really? Wow! Lucy, that's great!" Lucy nodded with a wide smile.

"Alex, I think you should go to Maggie. Go to her and tell her you want to go to the prom with her. Ask for forgiveness, for a restart.” She was silent for a few seconds. "You deserve to have a good love, Alex," she whispered.

Alex didn’t answer, just put her head on Lucy's shoulder. They sat there on the couch, watching the rising captions of a movie that had just ended

\\\

The rain had washed everything all night. And all morning too. It was the day of the prom.

Alex wasn’t yet ready to get out of bed, and she lay there staring at the ceiling, big drops falling on her closed window. She heard Kara and Eliza from the other room, Eliza helping Kara get ready for the prom.

She thought of what Lucy had told her yesterday. You deserve to have a good love.  she puffed. What is a good love anyway? It is certainly not a love that begins with a lie, a bet, a duty. Who decides what good love is, how does good love begin?  She closed her eyes for the millionth time, imagining Maggie's dimples, her long hair, her laugh, her gaze as she concentrated on a complicated question, or tapping the table with a pencil... all the things that made Alex want to get closer and closer, to find out who she really was, to be as near her as possible. All the things that made Alex want to be with her. To be hers. And not for the short term.

She opened her eyes abruptly, the sharp pain that stung her every time she thought of Maggie was fading, and in its place came a determined voice.  Are you fucking out of your mind? Are you really going to keep lying in bed for the rest of high school instead of trying to get the girl? she’s the one you want! who cares about anything else? put on some shoes and win go her back! what are you waiting for?

You deserve to have a good love, Alex. A voice tried to tell her that she deserved nothing, that she was a despicable liar who didn't deserve anything, that her routine so far had been great and there was no point in stopping it, but she managed to stop that voice, only Lucy's words echoing in her ears now.

She sat on the bed quickly, grabbing her head with her hands. There was a knock and Kara slowly opened the door, half dressed.

"Alex? Mom said that- Alex?"

"I have to go see Maggie." She lifted her head from her hands, a look of shock spreading across Kara's face.

"Are you serious?"

Alex stared at her, desperate, stunned. "I don’t know?"

"Yes, oh God, yes, Alex, go now!” Kara opened the door and hurried her out, her eyes shining. Alex got up quickly and hurried out of the room. She crossed half a hall before stopping, slowly turning around.

"Do not you think I should... wear something... more..."

Kara surveyed her head to toe. Alex was wearing old pajamas, fuzzy stockings, and her hair was messy and stuck out of her head with soft thorns. Kara bit her lip.

"Let's see what you have in the closet."

\\\\\

Maggie slammed the window, leaving the rain and wind outside. She turned on the heater and sat down on the couch, wrapping herself in a warm blanket. On the TV there was something stupid and uninteresting, but she went on staring at the screen, determined not to think about what would have happened if, at these exact moments.

She still finds it hard to believe. It's been a few days, and every time she thinks about it, she's a bit more shocked. Alex Danvers, the girl she thought she liked, the girl who thought she liked her, told her that she was nothing but a bet between friends for her. She had to admit, at first she thought Alex just wanted to bang her. Not that she objected, but she had the feeling that it would be more fun if she let her work for it. But then, after hours and hours of useless study (Maggie knew exactly how good Alex was in math, there was no way Alex could manage to hide it from her) she found she liked Alex. Before she knew her, she thought she was just the school mattress with no real personality, banging girls just to throw away later, but to her surprise she discovered a sensitive, thoughtful, funny person, an adorable dork, and she couldn’t help but like her.

And then, when Alex asked her to the prom, she thought... no, she stopped herself, you really don’t need to think about it. What you need is to concentrate on this TV for the rest of the evening and eat some ice cream and go to bed and forget that all of this ever happened. The rain continued to hit the window, and Maggie pushed her legs under her, breathing deeply.

The doorbell rang, and she rolled her eyes in frustration. Not a good timing for guests. She considered ignoring, but the bell sounded again, louder and more urgent. She let out a sigh.

"I'm coming! geez," She called, and went to the door, opening it just a crack.

Alex stood there, dressed in a tuxedo with a bow tie, soaked with rain, her hair dripping with water. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were shriveled from the dripping rain. Maggie was stunned, then irritated. She didn’t want to, she swore she wouldn't, but God would help her if Alex wasn’t stunning, and she had an urge to get her in quickly and help her dry and warm up. She looked shivering with cold, a tortured look on her face.

"Hey."

"What do you want?" Maggie asked coldly. Alex took a deep breath. Maggie opened the door a little bit more.

"Listen, hear me out, okay? It was a bet, it was a stupid, stupid bet, and I don't even care about the money or, any of that, ‘cus I accidentally." She paused, closing her eyes and opening them again, her gaze pleading, her eyes fixed on Maggie’s. "I accidentally fell in love."

Wow.

I mean, shit.

I mean. ugh, really?

Maggie tried to stay with her cold gaze but the last sentence caught her by surprise and her eyebrows slowly rose. Alex Danvers? fell in love? with me? It must be some kind of joke. A repeating joke. A continuing joke for the main joke and there must be some camera hiding somewhere that takes all this humiliation, there's no way...

"Look, Danvers ..."

"Maggie, I'm so... so sorry." Alex closed her eyes and shook her head. "I didn’t want to hurt you, I didn’t want to hurt anyone, I didn’t think. It was just a game." Maggie folded her arms and leaned against the door frame, looking down. "And I know it's no excuse, I know that nothing I say will compensate you for the humiliation, but there's nothing in the world I want more than understanding how to compensate you for it."

Maggie didn’t reply and just pinched the bridge of her nose. She still can’t understand the whole situation.

"What do you want, Danvers?"

She asked it not in the tone she had asked it before, the angry, irritated tone. It was a tired, despairing, confused tone. She didn’t know what Alex wanted. She didn’t know what she wanted. Everything was so complicated.

"I want you to come to the prom with me."

Maggie's first instinct was to snicker, and Alex bit her lip, swallowing a smile.

"Oh, God, Alex..." Maggie looked up and smiled bitterly.

"I'm serious, Maggie, I've heard that you have an amazing outfit for the prom. I want you to come with me, I want us to go and prove to all those idiots that we're more than a joke." She sighed. "I want you to understand how much I like you. I really really like you. I..."

"Don’t." A strong gust of wind blew, and Maggie curled up. She suddenly noticed that Alex was standing in the rain all this time. Her hair was still dripping with water and her eyes were dark, honest. She knew she wasn’t lying.

"Come on inside." Maggie opened the door wide. Alex murmured a silent thank you and went inside, closing the door behind her. Maggie brought her a towel to dry and sat down in front of the heater. Alex sat in front of it too, a little further from Maggie. Alex's tremors became less and less strong, and she seemed to be warming up.

"Danvers, I... I'm not sure I can come with you to the prom." She looked at Alex, who was silent. "I liked you, Alex, you were charming and funny, and I... I liked you back." She stopped for a moment. "What I said then was true, everything was true, everything was real."

"For me too," Alex whispered, moving her hands back and forth in front of the heater. "I didn’t expect... to fall like that, I didn’t want it." She swallowed. "But I guess there was no way to prevent it from the moment it was done."

They sat there quietly for another few minutes, Alex's suit drying slowly.

"I'm really sorry, Maggie. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but..."

"But?"

Alex looked at her. "I hope for it."

Maggie sighed, burying her face in her hands.

"So what now, Danvers? you’ll ask me out?”

"Do you want me to ask you out?"

Maggie shook her head, speechless. "No. Yes. I don’t know, maybe? look, Alex, everything is..."

"Very complicated, I know."

"Yes."

Alex loosened her bow tie, turning her back to the heater. She looked at Maggie, who was staring at the warm red lights.

"You said you liked me. You used past tense." She ran her hands through her wet hair again and again.

Maggie was silent.

"I don’t know, Danvers, I think I still like you, just... with everything that happened..." She tried to find the right words. "I'm not sure I can trust you again."

Alex ducked her head, pulling at her hair, closing her eyes.

"I understand." Her voice was no louder than a whisper.

A few moments past and they kept warm in front of the heater, and Maggie found herself looking at Alex. She almost shivered at the dark, glowing brown of her eyes.

Accidentally fell in love.

Maybe Alex was worthy of her forgiveness. She didn’t mean to hurt her, she was sorry, she really was, and... she liked her. She wants to give her the prom she promised her. Maggie is not sure she knows what the best move is for both of them.

"I can’t come with you to the prom, Danvers."

Alex nodded, biting her lips.

"Not in this rain, at least. Let’s wait for it to end, shall we?”

A few seconds passed, and Alex looked sharply at Maggie, a smile on her lips. Maggie smiled faintly back.

"We'll be fine. We can just go and have fun, drink something, dance, like normal people’s prom."

Alex's smile widened, and she ran a hand over her eyes to dry them.

"Thank you, Maggie."

Maggie nodded once, looking back at the heater.

\

Maggie went to her room to get dressed, going out a few minutes later, adjusting her hair. Alex waited outside, leaning against the wall with her hands crossed. She raised her head to look at Maggie as she walked out and froze when she saw her, her mouth slightly open.

"What?" said Maggie awkwardly, looking quickly to see if she had worn on the dress inside out. Alex just shook her head.

"Nothing." She said, a small smile creeping across her lips. "You're just beautiful." She murmured.

Maggie blushed, smiling back. She was silent for a few seconds. "You too." She said finally.

Alex didn’t answer and nodded, turning to the mirror to rearrange her tie. "The rain stopped. I called the cab to pick us up in about ten minutes. You’ll be ready?”

"Yes." Maggie went to the mirror beside Alex, gathering her hair into a hairdo. They stood side by side, getting ready and organizing, forgetting for a few minutes everything that had happened to them, as if for a moment all the bets and the betrayals and the lies had disappeared, leaving only affection, pure, strong affection, and hope. As if they were just two girls who liked each other, exchanging stolen glances through the mirror, and now they are going to the prom together.

They finally got out, Alex opening the cab door for Maggie in chivalry-much and they both set out for the prom.

It wasn’t too late, but the prom was already in full swing. There was loud, jerky music coming from the speakers inside, and a lot of people were walking outside and inside the hall, drinking, laughing, talking. Kara stood at the entrance to the hall, a worried look on her face and her hands wrapped around her arms to keep herself warm. She was looking for Alex and Maggie in her eyes, and when she saw them she jumped with enthusiasm, waving.

"Finally!" She sighed and pulled Alex to her in a crushing embrace. She released her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I've started to worry that..."

"That what?" Alex laughed. Kara looked at the two of them, Alex’s one hand in her pocket and the other hovering slightly above Maggie's waist, both standing and waiting for her sentence to continue. She looked from one to the other, and finally, she looked at Alex, a smile spread across her lips.

"Nothing. Are you coming in?"

They exchanged a brief glance, and Maggie shrugged. They walked on, entering the hall.

It wasn’t the first time Alex had seen Maggie dance, but this time she had a chance to dance with her, and it was infinitely better. They danced and swirled around each other, Alex even managed to bring a smile to Maggie's face, drawing closer to her. They moved together, enjoying the music, and the dance, and especially this closeness, which slowly turned, unnoticed, into something much bigger, something they couldn’t exactly explain, but it felt good. It felt... different.

The rhythmic music became quieter and Alex reached out a hand, raising an eyebrow. Maggie gave her her own and pulled her close, and they began to move slowly, together.

"I'm sorry."

"You said that already."

"Yeah, but I'm really, really sorry."

They were silent for a few more moments, and Maggie's eyes shimmered in the candlelight that filled the hall. Alex sighed, knowing that no matter how much anticipation she felt, and she knew Maggie felt too in this moment, and no matter how much she hoped, nothing could help her until Maggie agreed to trust her.

"I forgive you."

Alex's eyes shot to look up at Maggie's eyes, and a puzzled look appeared on her face.

"You...

"I forgive you, and... I do... like you, in some way. But," she took a deep breath. "I want us to take things slowly, really slowly."

Alex nodded. "Me too."

Maggie smiled at her.

"I don’t want to ruin this," Alex whispered.

Maggie’s breath seemed to stop. "Me neither," she finally said.

They looked at each other, their smiles widening. The distance between their faces become shorter and shorter, and Alex closed her eyes, waiting for the touch to come, to redeem her, to flood her...

"Can I get your attention, please?" Loud sound from the speakers was heard and the music stopped, the lights flashed back, and principal Grant’s figure seen on the stage, holding two crowns and a white envelope.

The moment dissolved, and Alex opened her eyes, turning to the stage. Kara and Lena appeared out of nowhere, and Kara put her hand on Alex's shoulder.

"Prom king and queen," she murmured.

Alex forgot everything. She forgot about the bet, she forgot about Lena and Lucy and Kara, she forgot what had brought her here in the first place. She forgot that this moment was supposed to change everything. All she thought about was Maggie. She exchanged glances with Lena, who stood crossed-fingers with her sister. Lena winked at her, and Alex smiled back, looking back at the stage.

Nothing should be more important at this moment than Maggie, one hand still on Alex's back, and she’s unbelievably close to her.

"I'm happy to be here tonight and declare our prom king and queen!" Miss Grant said, a smirk on her face. Everyone applauded politely as Miss Grant opened the envelope.

"Well, that's very interesting..." she said into the microphone, her smile widening. Alex might have just imagined, but Mrs. Grant's gaze rested on her for a few seconds. Or was it the distance that confused her, or the lights, and she wasn’t sure what all of this meant. She clenched her hand harder in her pocket, not sure what to hope for.

"As the King of the prom this year, James Olsen! James, please come here!" There were cheers from all around, and joyful male calls from James's friends, patting him fondly, cheering him and punching kicks and fists. James walked quickly to the stage and Mrs. Grant sat up on her tiptoes to put the crown on his head. All this time his gaze didn’t go from Lucy, who stood on the side, crossing her fingers openly.

"And as our prom queen this year..." Mrs. Grant glanced at the envelope again and turned back to the crowd.

Alex exchanged glances with Lucy and nodded briefly. Lucy took a deep breath.

"Lucy Lane, come here!" Mrs. Grant announced loudly, and the hall burst into applause and cheers, confetti splashing everywhere, and loud, jerky music came from the speakers. Lucy leaped up happily and hurried to the stage, where she received the crown from Mrs. Grant, and raised herself on tiptoe, kissing James, with a broad smile on his lips, to the growing cheers of the crowd.

Alex cheered until her throat was hoarse and clapped her hands until they ached. She turned to look at Lena and Kara, who were standing together, cheerfully cheering too. The three of them looked at each other, smiling. There was no need to say out loud what they thought, for it was clear that James and Lucy deserved these crowns more than anyone else in this room. Alex didn’t care about anything but Maggie, and especially not about this stupid crown. Alex looked back at the stage, and behind her Kara began to laugh. Alex heard Lena join her, and finally, she turned, joined their laughter, and the three of them stood there laughing at the top of their voices.

"What?" She heard Maggie beside her and wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, turning to look at her.  


"Nothing, really nothing."

"C'mon, what is it?"

Alex took another look at Lena and Kara, who exchanged a loving look, sunk in a moment of their own. Kara pressed her forehead against Lena's cheek, the last smile of laughter still on her face.

"I'll tell you later."

\\\

"Two hundred dollars, huh?"

"Yep."

"I mean, I knew about the money, but... for a crown?"

"Yeah."

Maggie glanced at her for a moment and then looked back at the pavement. Alex's hands were still in the pockets of her pants, her sleeves folded up to her elbows, and her suit jacket laid on Maggie's shoulders, which Alex didn’t think twice and covered her in as soon as she began to shake.

Maggie was silent for another few seconds as they walked slowly down the cool, quiet street.

"What kind of stupid intervention is that?" She finally asked, and laughed loudly, Alex is following her.

"I really, really don’t know..." Alex held up a hand to scratch her forehead in embarrassment, raising it lightly in the air.

"So you've lost."

Alex's hand went back to her pocket, and she sighed.

"I think Lena will let this one slide this time."

"Mhmm."

A few more seconds, and then-

"And the lessons?"

Alex stole another glance at her, shaking her head. "I guess you-"

"Yes, that was obvious."

"Was it really?

"It was. It really was," Maggie said with a nod, and they both laughed again.

"Then why did you let me… you know..." Alex's voice faded.

Maggie hesitated for a moment. "Well, first of all, you were cute. Everything you did seemed to try to seduce me, but you continued to stammer and be awkward, and it was sweet, so I said I'd give it a shot. And then you invited me to the prom and I thought... well... "

"Yeah."

They were silent for a few moments, an awkward, thick silence, and Alex kept looking at her shoes.

"I'm sorry." Alex said. "And I know I've said it a million times, but I'm really, really sorry."

Maggie looked at her, her eyes warm, tired, a faint smile on her lips. She slowed down and turned a little, and Alex found them standing outside Maggie’s house.

"I know."

They stood opposite each other, just below the steps of the house. None of them really wants to go, but with the knowledge that there is nothing left to do right now.

"I wasn’t joking, before, when I said I wanted to start over," Alex said.

Maggie nodded. "Me too."

Alex bit her lip, still looking at her.

"Hey," she suddenly reached her hand forward. "I'm Alex, Alex Danvers. I really like you."

Maggie looked at her, a smile slowly spreading across her face. She reached out and squeezed Alex's hand. "Maggie Sawyer. I like you too."

"Cool. Would you like to go out with me, Maggie Sawyer?"

Maggie was still laughing, still holding Alex's cold hand. She was silent for a few seconds, looking at Alex's hopeful eyes. "Yes, Alex Danvers, I'd love to go out with you."

A smile crossed Alex's face, and she nodded, biting her lips again. "Excellent."

"Magnificent." Maggie felt her own hand inadvertently pulling Alex's hand, bringing her closer to her a little more.

"Fantastic." Alex's voice trembled a little, and her face was very close to Maggie's face. It was getting warmer and warmer, and, as usually happens in the heat, the moment expanded and expanded, and became very slow.

"Splendid." Maggie closed her eyes.

"Fabulous." Alex's voice didn’t exceed a whisper, and her lips, at last, touched Maggie's warm ones.

It was like a dream. Like a moving film before her eyes, but she wasn’t entirely conscious to understand what was happening, and to whom it was happening, and how. Maggie's lips moved with delightful slowness around her own, and her hands ripped themselves away from Maggie's and lay unconsciously on her waist. She didn’t know if she was breathing, or whether it was morning, or evening, or what day it was, or what she was wearing, she didn’t let all these trivial details distract her from Maggie's lips. Maggie kissed her slowly, confidently, carefully tilting her head, bringing their bodies closer, and now they were standing linked, to all their length, and Alex noticed in the back of her mind that Maggie's hands were holding her neck.

The kiss ended as slowly as it had begun, and Alex took a minute or two to recover. She looked at Maggie, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glittering.

"I’m-"

Maggie didn’t have time to finish what she wanted to say because Alex caught her face and pulled her close for a second kiss. There was nothing at the moment that she wanted to do more than kiss Maggie, again and again and again, and perhaps for weeks or months, until she would get tired of her, and maybe even then she wouldn’t stop. Maggie responded immediately, and put her arms around Alex's shoulders, opening her mouth slightly to let Alex insert her tongue in. She moaned softly, clinging to Alex as much as possible, and they continued to stand, warming in each other's warmth in the cool night air.

It took them awhile, Alex wasn’t sure how much, but they finally pulled away. Her hands hadn’t yet left Maggie's waist, and she had left her forehead against Maggie's, still breathing deeply.

"You... want to come up?"

The breathy whisper made Alex open her eyes, to look at Maggie's. It took her a tremendous willpower to shake her head no.

"I want to."

Maggie smiled at her, her dimples popping. "but...?"

"But if I come up it would be exactly the opposite of what we agreed on when we said we'd take it slow."

Maggie didn’t look disappointed, but her smile became a bit sad. "I agree. I just checked."

They kept looking at each other, still holding each other.

"So I guess..."

"Yes, it’s getting late."

Neither made an effort to free herself from the other until Alex's phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out.

"It's Kara, she says she stays at Lena's tonight."

"What is that mean?"

Alex sighed, put her phone back in her pocket. "It means I'll have to cover up for her in the morning."

Maggie laughed, and Alex smiled at her, looking at her lips again.

"You can kiss me again, you know."

"I know."

"It's not that you asked me last time or anything..."

"Hey, you kissed me back!"

"It's not about who was kissing-"

"Did it bother you?"

"No." Maggie rubbed her nose at Alex's. "Not at all."

A smile spread across Alex's face again, and she gave a short kiss on Maggie's still warm, soft lips.

It is Maggie who finally released them, pulls off Alex's jacket and hands it to her. Alex hung it on her finger, behind her shoulder, one hand still in her pocket. Maggie walked away slowly, still watching her go.

"Call me tomorrow."

Alex nodded, her mind still vague. There was nothing in the world right now except Maggie, and there wouldn’t be until the door will close behind her, and Alex could go back to her house with nothing stopping her, her heart lighter than ever.

The door closed behind Maggie's smiling face, and Alex began to walk down the street. Her head is lowered, full of thoughts. The air refreshed her, and she breathed in deeply, full of anticipation for a new time to begin.

Maggie’s scent came to her nose, probably from the jacket she was holding in her hand, and she smiled awkwardly, as if she were standing here beside her. Maggie really made her be that girl.

Not that it bothered her.

**Author's Note:**

> (if you want a song to listen to while thinking about one giddy Alex Danvers dancing down the street, [ here ya go ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22bK0C2obFc)) 
> 
> (i know right)
> 
> (okay shut up)
> 
> anyway, thank you for reading!! 
> 
> please leave a comment and\or a kudos and let me know what you think!
> 
> btw Razorbacks are the name of the football team from Heathers the musical which is not only totally recommended but also indicates my laziness to choose a normal soccer team name  
> another thing is that I didn't give Maggie an annoying and homophobic family cus that kid has enough things to deal with, goddammit (not a good family either because,, reasons) (not the ones you think about, probably) (nvm)
> 
> come visit me @iwannaplayairplains at tumblr
> 
> thanks to everyone who was making this week happen, we certainly need more sanvers positivity in our lives. 
> 
>  
> 
> SANVERS ENDGAME


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